Synchronizing audio of a secondary-language audio track

Abstract

A method of providing a synchronized secondary audio track via a mobile device. The method includes: receiving, at a mobile device, a request from a user to receive a secondary audio track that corresponds with a primary audio track of an audio-visual (AV) program which is presented to the user; receiving the secondary audio track at the mobile device; receiving at the mobile device a playback-control cue; and in response to receiving the playback-control cue, outputting audio data of the secondary audio track so that the audio data is synchronized with the primary audio track.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. An electronic device comprising:
 one or more processing devices and memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processing devices and having stored therein processor-readable instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processing devices, cause the one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:
 detecting a signal to output a first audio track that corresponds with a visual output of an audio-visual program, where the audio-visual program is output by a set of one or more devices configured to output audio-visual data, and the set of one or more devices is separate from the electronic device; 
 processing the first audio track received via one or more networks from a remote system; 
 communicating with the set of one or more devices outputting the audio-visual data; 
 consequent to the communicating, synchronizing output of audio data of the first audio track with a playback-control operation that adjusts output corresponding to the audio-visual program based at least in part on:
 detecting an indication of a playback-control cue output by the set of one or more devices to adjust output corresponding to the audio-visual program, where the indication corresponds to one or more soundwaves having one or more characteristics that distinguish the playback control operation from other playback control operations; 
 calculating a playback offset for the first audio track to synchronize the first audio track with one or more visual components of the audio-visual program, the playback offset based at least in part on the communicating; and 
 based at least in part on the playback offset and in response to receiving the indication of the playback-control cue, outputting the audio data of the first audio track so that the audio data is synchronized with the visual output. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device as recited in  claim 1 , where the set of one or more devices comprises a display device and one or more speaker devices. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device as recited in  claim 1 , where the set of one or more devices comprises a set-top box. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device as recited in  claim 1 , where the playback-control cue comprises a fast-forward cue, a rewind cue, a slow-motion cue, a single-frame advance cue, a single-frame rewind cue, a resume-play cue, or a skip cue. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device as recited in  claim 4 , where the detecting the indication of the playback-control cue to adjust output corresponding to the audio-visual program comprises detecting an acoustic indication of the playback-control cue. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device as recited in  claim 1 , where the playback offset is based at least in part on one or more of a response time of the electronic device, a propagation delay, and/or a computational latency. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device as recited in  claim 1 , where the electronic device is configured to provide a digital assistant. 
     
     
       8. A method comprising:
 detecting by a first device a signal to output a first audio track that corresponds with a visual output of an audio-visual program, where the audio-visual program is output by a set of one or more devices configured to output audio-visual data, and the set of one or more devices is separate from the first device; 
 processing the first audio track received via one or more networks from a remote system; 
 communicating with the set of one or more devices outputting the audio-visual data; 
 consequent to the communicating, synchronizing output of audio data of the first audio track with a playback-control operation that adjusts output corresponding to the audio-visual program based at least in part on:
 detecting an indication of a playback-control cue output by the set of one or more devices to adjust output corresponding to the audio-visual program, where the indication corresponds to one or more soundwaves having one or more characteristics that distinguish the playback control operation from other playback control operations; 
 calculating a playback offset for the first audio track to synchronize the first audio track with one or more visual components of the audio-visual program, the playback offset based at least in part on the communicating; and 
 based at least in part on the playback offset and in response to receiving the indication of the playback-control cue, outputting the audio data of the first audio track so that the audio data is synchronized with the visual output. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The method as recited in  claim 8 , where the set of one or more devices comprises a display device and one or more speaker devices. 
     
     
       10. The method as recited in  claim 8 , where the set of one or more devices comprises a set-top box. 
     
     
       11. The method as recited in  claim 8 , where the playback-control cue comprises a fast-forward cue, a rewind cue, a slow-motion cue, a single-frame advance cue, a single-frame rewind cue, a resume-play cue, or a skip cue. 
     
     
       12. The method as recited in  claim 11 , where the detecting the indication of the playback-control cue to adjust output corresponding to the audio-visual program comprises detecting an acoustic indication of the playback-control cue. 
     
     
       13. The method as recited in  claim 8 , where the playback offset is based at least in part on one or more of a response time of the first device, a propagation delay, and/or a computational latency. 
     
     
       14. The method as recited in  claim 8 , where the first device is configured to provide a digital assistant. 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory, processor-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processing devices, cause the one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:
 detecting a signal to output a first audio track that corresponds with a visual output of an audio-visual program, where the audio-visual program is output by a set of one or more devices configured to output audio-visual data, and the set of one or more devices is separate from the one or more processing devices; 
 processing the first audio track received via one or more networks from a remote system; 
 communicating with the set of one or more devices outputting the audio-visual data; 
 consequent to the communicating, synchronizing output of audio data of the first audio track with a playback-control operation that adjusts output corresponding to the audio-visual program based at least in part on:
 detecting an indication of a playback-control cue output by the set of one or more devices to adjust output corresponding to the audio-visual program, where the indication corresponds to one or more soundwaves having one or more characteristics that distinguish the playback control operation from other playback control operations; 
 calculating a playback offset for the first audio track to synchronize the first audio track with one or more visual components of the audio-visual program, the playback offset based at least in part on the communicating; and 
 based at least in part on the playback offset and in response to receiving the indication of the playback-control cue, outputting the audio data of the first audio track so that the audio data is synchronized with the visual output. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory, processor-readable medium as recited in  claim 15 , where the set of one or more devices comprises a display device and one or more speaker devices. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory, processor-readable medium as recited in  claim 15 , where the set of one or more devices comprises a set-top box. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory, processor-readable medium as recited in  claim 15 , where the playback-control cue comprises a fast-forward cue, a rewind cue, a slow-motion cue, a single-frame advance cue, a single-frame rewind cue, a resume-play cue, or a skip cue. 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory, processor-readable medium as recited in  claim 18 , where the detecting the indication of the playback-control cue to adjust output corresponding to the audio-visual program comprises detecting an acoustic indication of the playback-control cue. 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory, processor-readable medium as recited in  claim 15 , where the playback offset is based at least in part on one or more of a response time of the one or more processing devices, a propagation delay, and/or a computational latency.